1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a connector and a connector assembly provided with a partial connection preventing function.
2. Description of the Related Art
U.S. Pat. No. 5,718,596 and FIG. 19(A) herein show a known connector that prevents the connector from being left partly connected during a connecting operation. Such connectors are used in an automotive airbag circuit. As shown in FIG. 19(A), the connector has mateable male and female housings 1, 2. A lock arm 3 is provided in the female housing 2 and moves onto the male housing 1. A frame-shaped slider 4 is mounted on the female housing 2 via a spring, and a resilient piece 4a of the slider 4 is pushed by a pushing projection 1a on the male housing 1. Thus, the slider 4 is moved back and resiliently compresses the spring. The connecting operation could be interrupted with the two housings 1, 2 only partly connected. However, the biasing force accumulated in the spring is released to separate the housings 1, 2 and to prevent the housings 1, 2, from being left partly connected.
The lock arm 3 deforms during connection and moves onto the male housing 1. The lock arm 3 then resiliently returns to engage a locking groove 5 when the housings 1, 2 are connected properly, as shown in FIG. 19(B). Simultaneously, the resilient piece 4a of the slider 4 is moved back and is deformed sufficiently to move: onto a disengaging projection 2a on the female housing 2. Thus, the resilient piece 4a of the slider 4 is disengaged from the pushing projection 1a, and the biasing force of the spring is released to move the slider 4 forward. At this time, a pressing portion 4b of the slider 4 enters a deformation space 3a above the lock arm 3, and prevents the lock arm 3 from being deformed.
The two housings 1, 2 may have to be separated for maintenance or other reason. Thus, the slider 4 is moved back to retract the pressing portion 4b from the deformation space 3a for the lock arm 3. The lock arm 3 is guided through a resilient deformation by opposed disengagement guiding surfaces 3b, 5a of the lock arm 3 and the locking groove 5. As a result, the lock arm 3 disengages from the locking groove 5.
This connector has a semi-locking construction for easy separation. Additionally, the connector uses the pressing portion 4b of the slider to avoid an unstable locked state resulting from the semi-locking construction.
The above-described connector could be used in other circuits that do not require a partial connection preventing function. For example, this connector could be used without the slider 4 and the spring to reduce costs.
The slider 4 could be detached from the female housing 2. However, the semi-locking construction permits the lock arm 3 to deform in the connected state. Thus, an insufficient holding force can make the locked state unstable.
The invention was developed in view of the above problem, and an object of the invention is to provide a connector and connector assembly that can attain a stable locked state even if a slider is detached.
The invention relates to a connector with a housing connectable with a mating housing. A lock arm is provided on the housing and engages a lock on the mating housing when the housings are connected properly. A slider is assembled with the housing for forward and backward movement along a connecting direction of the housings, and at least one biasing member is provided between the slider and housing. The biasing member is resiliently compressible and accumulates a biasing force for separating the housing from the mating housing as the slider is moved back on the housing. At least one pushable portion is provided on the slider and is displaceable along a direction intersecting the connecting direction. A pushing portion on the mating housing pushes the slider back in the process of connecting the housings, and a pushcanceling portion on the housing displaces the pushable portion to cancel a pushed state of the pushable portion as the housings are connected properly.
An unlocking portion preferably is provided on one of the slider and the lock arm and is capable of resiliently displacing the lock arm and disengaging the lock arm from the lock as the slider is moved back with respect to the housing.
The unlocking portion obviates the need for prior art semi-locking construction. Accordingly, the connector has a locking construction where the locked state of the housings is not canceled automatically by a pulling force on the housings. Therefore, the locked state is stable even if the connector is used without the slider and the biasing member.
The lock arm preferably is resiliently displaceable while moving onto the lock in the process of connecting the two housings.
The lock arm is displaced resiliently and moves onto the lock when the housings are being connected and the pushing portion pushes the pushable portion of the slider. Thus, the slider is moved back and the biasing member is compressed between the slider and the housing. The connecting operation could be interrupted at an intermediate state. However, the biasing force accumulated in the biasing member is released to separate the two housings. Thus, the two housings will not be left partly connected.
The lock arm returns resiliently to engage the lock when the housings are connected properly and the pushable portion is displaced by the push canceling portion in the direction intersecting the connecting direction. As a result, the pushed state of the pushable portion is canceled, and the biasing force in the biasing member is released to move the slider forward.
The slider is moved back to separate the properly connected housings. The lock arm then is displaced by the unlocking portion and disengages from the lock. As a result, the housings can be pulled apart.
The slider preferably is substantially plate-shaped and is mounted on one side surface of the housing. Thus, the connector can be made smaller and the slider can be mounted more easily on the housing as compared to a case where the slider is a frame-shape as in the prior art connector.
The unlock portion may prevent resilient displacement of the lock arm.
Guiding means preferably are provided on at least one of the slider and the housing to guide the slider with respect to the housing.
The slider may have at least one hook that can be pushed back by the pushing portion to move the slider back with respect to the housing in the process of connecting the two housings. The hook preferably moves onto the push canceling portion and the pushable portion is displaced up as the housings are connected properly, thereby canceling the pushed state of the hook by the pushing portion.
The biasing member preferably is compressed slightly when the slider is at an initial mount position and before the housing is connected to the mating housing to suppress shaking of the slider along the connecting direction.
The lock arm preferably is resiliently displaceable into a deformation space and the unlocking portion enters the deformation space to prevent resilient displacement of the lock arm while the slider is moved back by a specified distance from an initial mount position.
The invention also relates to a connector assembly comprising the above-described connector and a mating connector connectable therewith. The mating connector preferably is a wire-to-wire connector or a connector mounted to a piece of equipment, such as a printed circuit board.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent upon reading of the following detailed description of preferred embodiments and accompanying drawings. It should be understood that even though embodiments are separately described, single features thereof may be combined to additional embodiments.